On 14 January, the European Economic and Social Committee organized a high-level panel discussion regarding the critical role of the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) in ensuring resilience and preparedness for both civilian and military needs during times of crisis. The event brought speakers from NATO, the European Commission, and the Polish Ministry of Infrastructure, the Latvian Minister of Transport as well as representatives from trade associations.
The discussions echoed the perspectives evoked by Sauli Niinistö, former President of Finland, in his recent report on strengthening Europe’s civilian and military preparedness. The report emphasises the importance of integrating civilian and military priorities to create a robust and agile infrastructure framework.
The broader range of dual-use infrastructures and capabilities, crucial in times of war or crisis, urgently requires upgrading. A notable example in this sense is the investment needed in the trans-European transport network (TEN-T) to ensure the swift movement of military forces. The updated TEN-T Network Regulation now requires Member States to take military mobility needs into account when building or upgrading infrastructure on the network.
On the other side, the civilian sector plays a crucial role in supporting efforts during major crises, with measures that benefit both civilian and military stakeholders. Enhanced dual-use and civil-military cooperation based on the EU framework also includes climate change challenges and energy security.
This dual approach calls for new funding possibilities with a view to improving both civilian and military mobility. Until now, the EU has invested through the Connecting Europe Facility EUR 1,7 billion in dual- use transport infrastructure to co-fund 95 military mobility projects in 21 countries. To be eligible for EU co-funding, transport infrastructure projects must be useful for both civilian and defence purposes and be planned along the trans-European transport network (TEN-T).
